Foodstuff collating system and method

ABSTRACT

A foodstuff collating apparatus having a plurality of discrete channels within which foodstuffs are collated. The apparatus is elevated at one end to provide a slide for the foodstuff with the channels converging from one end of the apparatus to the other. As the foodstuff slides down a channel, the former is oriented from a random position to an ordered vertical disposition.

This application claims benefit to Provisional No. 60/036,113, filedJan. 15, 1997 and is a 371 of PCT/CA97/00965, filed Dec. 12, 1997.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to collating apparatus for collating loosearticles and more particularly, the present invention relates to anapparatus for arranging and/or collating articles into a neat orderlyarray and a method of employing the apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

Many different forms of collating arrangements are known in the art andone of the chief drawbacks of those existing arrangements is realizedwith the degree of labour intensity. Generally speaking, severalpersonnel are involved in handling the articles to eventually bepackaged and this often leads to difficulties in terms of damaged goodsas well as complications with respect to health standards. Furtherlimitations revolve around the fact that the additional personnel addlabour costs to the overall process.

It would be desirable if there were a method for collating loosearticles into an orderly array which is significantly less labourintensive and which reduces the contact between the product and thepersonnel packaging the product.

The present invention is directed to solving the difficulties as setforth herein.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention has utility in the food handling art.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved method andapparatus for collating loose articles into an orderly array.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus fororienting articles having edges and generally rounded opposed ends,comprising:

a plurality of continuous channels for slidably transporting thearticles, each channel having a receiving end for receiving the articlesand a discharge end for discharging the articles, each channel having awidth dimension, a diagonal wall, an opposed wall and a top edge, eachchannel having a generally sawtooth configuration adjacent the receivingend with the width dimension progressively decreasing from the receivingend to the discharge end, each channel having substantially vertical andparallel walls adjacent the discharge end and reduced width relative tothe receiving end, the receiving end being at a higher elevation thanthe discharge end; and

repositioning means at the top edge of each channel for repositioning anarticle contacting the edge into a respective channel, whereby when thearticles are received in a relatively random form at the receiving endand are slidably transported under gravity to the discharge end, thechannels and the repositioning means orient the articles from arelatively disordered form with respect to one another to an orderedcollated array with respect to one another.

Any number of channels may be employed in the arrangement and this willdepend upon the volume of article to be packaged among other factors.The channel may be formed of any suitable material having a lowcoefficient of friction in order to ensure quick transportation of theproduct from the receiving end of the apparatus to a discharge end. Tothis end, the receiving end will be elevated relative to the dischargeend in order to provide a “ramp effect” and thus facilitate sliding ofthe article down the channel. Suitable materials for construction of thechannels include aluminum, Teflon™ suitable plastics or other suitablemetals acceptable to the food industry and also providing the necessarydegree of friction. As a further feature, the temperature of thechannels may be controlled (heated, cooled) depending upon the type ofproduct to be collated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forsorting and packaging articles, comprising, in combination:

conveyor means for conveying the articles;

a plurality of continuous channels for slidably transporting thearticles, each channel having a receiving end for receiving the articlesand a discharge end for discharging the articles, each channel having awidth dimension, a diagonal wall, an opposed wall and a top edge, eachchannel having a generally sawtooth configuration adjacent the receivingend with the width dimension progressively decreasing from the receivingend to the discharge end, each channel having substantially vertical andparallel walls adjacent the discharge end and reduced width relative tothe receiving end, the receiving end being at a higher elevation thanthe discharge end;

repositioning means at the top edge of each channel for repositioning anarticle contacting the edge into a respective channel; and

packaging means for packaging an array of oriented articles.

The channels may include pegs, cams or some additional element on thetop edges in order to reposition, for example, a potato patty from agenerally horizontal position relative to the channel to a positionwhere the patty is vertically oriented within the channel. This may alsobe achieved by providing a texture on the top edge of the channels orsimply having different material on adjacent top edges to provide adifferent coefficient of friction. This will ensure that any randomnessin the orientation of the product is eliminated by the edging toreposition the article. In this manner, the channels provide aself-aligning feature for the articles contacting them.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method ofcollating loose articles from a relatively disordered state, comprisingthe steps of:

providing a plurality of channels for slidably receiving the articles,the channels tapering in width from a receiving end to a discharge endand having a substantially sawtooth configuration adjacent the receivingend and a parallel vertical wall configuration adjacent the dischargeend, the receiving end being elevated relative to the discharge end, thechannels being continuous and uninterrupted between the receiving endand the discharge end;

introducing the articles at the receiving end at any orientationrelative to the channels;

sliding the articles, by gravity, down a respective channel toprogressively collate the articles at the discharge end; and

discharging the articles in an ordered collated array.

Having thus described the invention, reference will now be made to theaccompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic illustration depicting a sorting,collecting and packaging procedure;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3—3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section along line 4—4 of FIG. 2.

Similar numerals in the figures denote similar elements.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 broadly illustrates a sorting,collecting and packaging system in schematic form.

The articles, in this example, patties, may be ovular or rectangular,are typically discharged into a freeze tunnel conveyor from previousprocessing operations (not shown). The freeze tunnel is broadly denotedby numeral 10. From the freeze tunnel 10, the articles are passed on toa dispensing conveyor 12 which orients the patties from travellingwidthwise to a lengthwise arrangement. Inspectors 14, in the conveyorline 12, typically examine the patties for quality assurance purposesand remove any broken or otherwise inferior patties. The patties arethen passed on to the collating apparatus, broadly denoted by numeral 16to be discussed hereinafter in much greater detail. From the collatingapparatus 16, the patties are then conveyed via conveyor 18 to apackaging machine 20, which receives trays 22 in timed sequence in orderto charge a tray 22 with patties. The charged trays 24 are then passedon to, for example, a shrink wrap machine 26. Having thus generallydescribed the overall process sequence, reference will now be made ingreater detail to the collating apparatus 16 shown best in FIGS. 2, 3,and 4.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the collating apparatus 16 withparts removed for clarity. As is illustrated, the collating apparatusincludes a receiving end 30 and a discharge end opposed therefrom anddenoted by numeral 32. The collating apparatus 16 includes a pluralityof discrete channels 34 regularly spaced from one another and extendingfrom the receiving end 30 to the discharge end 32. Channels 34 each havea width dimension broadly denoted by numeral 36 in FIG. 2, which widthdimension progressively decreases from the receiving end 30 to thedischarge end 32 such that the overall apparatus 16 converges from thereceiving end to the discharge end. In this convergent pattern, thewidth dimension within any channel remains constant relative to anadjacent channel.

FIG. 3 illustrates a section along line 3—3 of FIG. 2 which depicts thechannels 34 in a generally sawtooth formation. As is illustrated, eachchannel includes a first substantially vertical wall 38 and a diagonallyoriented wall 40, the orientation being relative to the vertical wall38. Diagonal wall 40 terminates in a substantially horizontal base wallsegment 42 and further includes a second vertical wall 44, which is atapproximately 90° relative to partial wall 42 and in a parallel andspaced relationship with wall 38. In this manner, at least at thereceiving end and somewhat spaced therefrom, the channels start with astraight wall 38/44 and an inclined wall 40. The spacing between thechannels 34 is less than the length of the patty P, but greater than thewidth of the patty P.

Generally proximate end 32, the inclined wall 40 in each channel 34 issubstantially vertical. This is illustrated in FIG. 4. The transitionfrom an angular wall 40 to its substantially vertical orientation isprogressive along the length of channel 16 as is illustrated in FIG. 2.In this manner, the patty P moves along the collating apparatus 16, itis moved from a generally inclined form to a vertically orienteddisposition. This facilitates arranging the patty P into an orderlyarray at end 32 for subsequent charging into a tray 22 as broadlyillustrated in FIG. 1.

In order to achieve this, the collating apparatus 16 and moreparticularly, the end 30, is elevated somewhat relative to end 32. Theelevation may be from about 20° to about 40° or greater relative to thehorizontal. By providing the elevation, this facilitates sliding of thepatties P down the channels from end 30 to 32.

In operation, the patties P generally enter the receiving end of theapparatus 16 at the various orientations relative to one another. Thisis typically random and is illustrated in FIG. 2 where one patty isbetween channels 34 whereas the other is disposed in a cross channelform. By providing the arrangement of the channels 34 as illustrated inFIG. 3, this random disposition is solved simply by having the patty Pfall into the channel 34. It is then automatically turned on its side byvirtue of the configuration of the channel 34 as it travels down theinclined apparatus 16. In order to ensure that the cross channel pattiespositively are oriented on a side such as that shown in FIG. 3, smallpegs 46 may be employed at the crest or the juncture of walls 38 and 40.By providing pegs 46, if the article is cross channel or riding thecrests, the pegs ensure reorientation or repositioning to the form shownin FIG. 3, i.e. the patty is on an edge within the channel 34.

It is clearly envisioned in the absence of pegs 46, the top edges ofchannels 34 may be composed of materials having different coefficientsin order to induce the proper disposition of the patty P into thechannel 34. Other forms of locating may be employed such as means forvibrating the channels 34, cammed internal surfaces inter alia.

FIG. 3 shows in chain line, the gradual change in attitude of the pattyP as the same travels the course of the channel 34.

The present invention thus alleviates the need superfluous personnel inthe packaging procedure and further avoids excessive handling bypersonnel of the product to be packaged.

It will be appreciated by those skilled that although potato pattieshave been indicated to be the article, the apparatus and methodology areamenable to any article that may be packaged.

Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, it isnot limited thereto and it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat numerous modifications form part of the present invention insofaras they do not depart from the spirit, nature and scope of the claimedand described invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of collating loose articles from arelatively disordered state, comprising the steps of: providing aplurality of channels for slidably receiving said articles, saidchannels tapering in width from a receiving end to a discharge end, saidchannels having a substantially sawtooth configuration adjacent saidreceiving end and a parallel vertical wall configuration adjacent saiddischarge end, said receiving end being elevated relative to saiddischarge end, said channels being continuous and uninterrupted betweensaid receiving end and said discharge end; introducing said articles atsaid receiving end at any orientation relative to said channels; slidingsaid articles, by gravity, down a respective channel; progressivelychanging the attitude of said articles from a generally horizontalattitude to a substantially vertical attitude at said discharge end;collating said articles at said discharge end; and discharging saidarticles in an ordered collated array.
 2. The apparatus as characterizedin claim 1, further including the step of packaging said articles.